8 Tools to Help You Travel Forever and Live Rent Free

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So you’ve decided to do it. You have a friend or family member who can store your belongings for an undetermined period of time, you’ve tied up loose ends, and your bags are packed. It’s time to start traveling long-term!

But now what?

You have a few family members and distant friends who have offered up a couch if you’re in their neck of the woods, but surely they won’t appreciate your arrival on their doorstep with no planned departure date in sight.

How then, do you travel long-term and not run out of money, while staying safe? Hotels are expensive over time, and finding rental accommodation in every city you visit is impractical. Heck — you don’t even want to pay rent at all! Hostels are a great option as they are much cheaper and it’s a great place to meet others on the road.

Caretaker’s Gazette

By joining this service (annual membership is approximately US$30), you will gain access to a classified system of people looking for caretakers in exchange for rent-free living. The opportunities vary widely in scope from ranch hands, to organic farm workers, campground hosting, motel management, nursing for the elderly, to just plain house sitting. Locales for your next potential gig could be anywhere in the world, from numerous U.S. locations, to Australia, to Europe and even Micronesia.

Some are paying opportunities, while others are simply work-trade arrangements for accommodation. Others yet will supply an additional stipend depending on your experience and the work entailed.

Woofing

WWOOF is an acronym for a number of different phrases, the most apt of which in my mind is “World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms”. It is an international organization (located in over 70 countries) of organic farms, gardens, businesses, ranches, (you name it) where you can exchange your services for accommodations, food, and training.

Required services include basic garden and farm maintenance, as well as cooking, teaching, caring for children, and handy work. There is usually some work suitable for anybody willing to adopt this lifestyle.

Whilst surfing Wwoofing opportunities, you will likely also find links to volunteer organizations, and other similar work exchange opportunities. It’s a great way to gain valuable experience, friendships, and to cover your living expenses in a constructive manner.

Most countries require a subscription to gain access to their full listings and contact information of the hosts, and the subscription prices vary from area to area but are not over-priced for the value received.

House Carers

If you are happy to spend your vacation house-sitting for somebody else, you may find the right opportunity here. You will find lists upon lists of people requesting house sitters for periods of time from a few days to a few months, anywhere in the world. In many cases there are a few hoops to jump through in order to gain the opportunity with liability and bonding issues, and already living or traveling in the same country carries an added advantage.

You can choose from the limited free membership options or the full US$45 one year membership, depending on your needs.

Organic Volunteers

Much like Caretaker’s Gazette and woofing, you will find many worldwide opportunities to proverbially “pick blueberries for a living”. The prospects aren’t limited to organic farms though; you will find hostel management jobs, artist retreat internships, in addition to various agricultural and permaculture settings.

For US$20/year, membership will help you gain access to many great listings and a user-friendly system of contacting hosts and searching for opportunities.

Couch Surfing

Couch Surfers are a network of people who are willing to open up their homes and hearts to frugal travelers, as well as be those travelers when they are not hosting guests. The site prides itself on referrals and having only high quality members, and has a comprehensive program in place to ensure the safety of both traveler and host. But as with any chance to stay at a stranger’s place for free, a prudent amount of caution should be exercised.

Global Freeloaders

Similar to Couch Surfing, Global Freeloaders is a cultural exchange program for hosts and travelers. Registration is free, but members are required to be able to host as well as travel, so unless you expect to be able to offer up your digs as a host within six months of signing up, you are politely requested to wait.

Servas

This is the original Couch Surfers and Global Freeloaders. Servas (meaning “serve” in Esperanto), is a non-profit non-denominational non-ethnic organization of good-will and cultural exchanges. It’s been around for at least 50 years, and is recognized by the United Nations. In addition to being a network to connect people and places, volunteers around the world work in relief camps and advocate for peace through various projects.

Hosts offer their homes and dinner tables for two nights (or more, at the discretion of the host) to travelers who contact them and who meet with their approval. Travelers must go through an exhaustive process which includes an in-person interview before being accepted to the program, as a way of screening for quality candidates.

Once travelers are interviewed and accepted into the program, they are given printed lists or booklets of the hosts in their destination country (Servas is moving towards an online platform, but is not there yet). There are also membership fees which vary from country to country.

Hospitality Club

Free to join and internet-based, it appears to be the Servas of the online world. It is kept “safe” through a series of passport checks and online feedback systems with checks and balances.

These are just a few opportunities in the world of long-term travel, as you will discover with a little research. I don’t vouch for any of the services or programs, and a healthy amount of caution should always be exercised when accepting hospitality from strangers. However I think Servas says it best when they say: “We are all friends. We just haven’t met yet!”

208 Responses

I’ve had mostly fabulous experiences with Couchsurfing (and the ones that weren’t fabulous, were vaguely annoying at worst) and several of the surfers I’ve hosted have also said great things about Hospitality Club.

Interesting you included the pix of the muslims. They would of course have to be the ultimate free travel abroad exponents managing to infest any country that allows free everything for no-hopers , then like cuckoos attempt to subjugate the host x_x
So is that what this site is encouraging, a horde of travelling parasites?

How do you travel long term and not run out of money? Hotels (and even hostels) are expensive over time, and finding rental accommodation in every city you visit is impractical. Heck – you donâ€™t even want to pay rent at all! Here are eight handy resources to help you get started on your long term travel adventure. […]

Or you could teach and travel and actually save money while experiencing other cultures. In Korea, you make US$2000 a month minimum, plus an annual bonus of one month’s salary, free airfare, free furnished apartment, and a few other perks. I used to be a teacher in Canada, but I make more money here for a fraction of the work. Email me for more info if you’re interested.

Pretty good list, but I’d like to contribute my own little snippet of information. For anyone traveling in India (or anywhere in the world, for that matter) if you find yourself in a strange city with no money, find the local Sikh Gurdwara(temple, for lack of a better word) The Sikh religion stresses hospitality, so if you show up unannounced on the steps of a gurdwara begging for a place to stay and a hot meal, you’ll get one for sure in India, and probably everywhere else in the world, though I can’t say for sure.

This is a really interesting blog—I’m a huge traveler, and also a student with a low budget. I’m considering taking this summer to make a long trip abroad but don’t necessarily have the money for it. This blog posed some good ideas that I’m going to look into. Thanks

I have given my share of freeloading friends the opportunity to couch crash but didn’t know there were organizations dedicated to it. Great information and I might be willing to share my couch with some investigation.

I wish they had this in the late 90’s when I did a lot of traveling. Great resources. I did use Air Hitch for a memorable Europe at $275 round trip or was it each way. not sure. here’s another resource for travelers http://www.exploringabroad.com

Very cool article, one of the things i would like to know is can you do any of these things in the UK? I mean the price of hotels, guest houses, hostels etc is all still expensive in my eyes so would be very refreshing to find out ways to travel & stay in the uk thats not as pricey.

Absolutely, you can travel through the UK on the cheap! I haven’t any personal experience with any of the above services in the UK in particular, but I do know of others who have used Couch Surfing, Servas, House Carers, and Caretakers Gazette in the UK area. I’ll bet all the services mentioned have lots to offer. Check it out, and let us know!

Try crewing on a sailboat. This could be like a sailing yacht with a youth hostel atmosphere.
Sailing, surfing, snorkeling, spear fishing, beach parties, uninhabited islands….
Check out this link: Sailing in Greece

[…] CouchSurfing Meet locals and stay for free, then host travelers in your home. It’s a worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit. WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms – Volunteer on organic farms across the world. You can find more shared housing options in: Vagabondish’s 8 Tools to Help You Travel Forever and Live Rent Free. […]

I bet that with the worldwide markets, this kind of info is going to be even more appealing to lots of people! I came across this site with another extreme – people living rent free in foreclosed homes:

[…] (those who travel continuously without a permanent residence).Â What intrigued me on the site wasÂ 8 Tools to Help You Travel Forever and Live Rent Free.Â The article described and offered links to eight networking sites created for different types of […]

I recommend taking a look at Viscape, which is a way to travel creatively around vacation homes. You can swap your home, you can rent a room, you can find an inexpensive studio in the heart of Rome or London on the very cheap. Its a great way to travel on a budget and have a decent place to stay. Viscape.com

mmm.. well im lebanese.. i couldnt get visa anywhere.. im 23 i have nothing and noone.. i have my job.. but i cant afford to finish my last year in university.. studying IT.. i speak english french and arabic.. i NEED to get out.. anywhere,anyway.. any ideas?!

Google search for ‘house sitting’ brings up hundreds of house sitting companies but two more that seem cheap and easy to nav that aren’t listed above are: Aussie House Sitters – for house sitting in Oz & NZ. http://www.aussiehousesitters.com.au/

I don’t know when this blog was written but, with the economy the way it is at the moment world wide, it is relevant now more than ever. People still need to take a break from their work or domestic situation and go on vacation occasionally. The single biggest expense is accommodation. House sitting and house swap home/exchange means people can still travel on the cheap.

This was my inspiration for the trip I am going next week. 3 months in europe.
I would like to ask if I could make reference to this in my blog with an image and a link?
Congratulations from Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

I love these tips.
I love traveling, and circumstances are such that I’ll be mobile in my RV, with six rescued dogs and several cats.

Does anyone know how to travel with lots of pets and live at least very close to the beach?
I surf, so…and I need to work so they need to be safely parked.
I’d work for someone for a nice parking spot near a beach.
I can build houses, repair anything.
I’m a master builder.
I used to be a contractor. Now work is not there.

I’d also be a great house-sitter or property watcher. And I could keep other peoples’ pets and their homes. I love animals and volunteer for wildlife rescuding too.

Great post – have been a huge fan of couchsurfers for a long time, love letting people stay and meeting new faces. I think my next RTW trip will involve more couchsurfing than my last. I never knew about servas, i’ll look into that more.

http://www.staynomad.com ; a growing community of travelers worldwide, offering accommodation and cultural exchange. Also the possibility to get sponsored to TRAVEL CHEAPER or even for free after submitting your next sustainable travel project. Joining is FREE.

[…] they are all things we seek in ourselves and in others. * Learn how to travel the world and find free accomodations from a â€œprofessional hobo.â€ Here are eight websites to get you started. * How the web began. […]

thanks for sharing! not sure if you are familiar with the book The 4 Hour Work Weeks by Tim Ferris but it is a pretty handy tool for vagabonds and wannabes :) all the best and thanks for the handy tips!

This is a great list, thank you!! I’d also suggest visiting http://www.worldhelplink.com. It has some links to great opportunities to live abroad by volunteering, interning, working, teaching, and more!

I love that you are sharing this wealth of knowledge; making the world that much more of a neighborhood. Thanks… my daughters have been bugging/inspiring me about possible traveling & i just know it’s not all about the holy dollar! Peace, Nora, you are awesome.

this is very interesting and informative. I always dream to travel abroad. I don’t have the opportunity and of course money for that. How will I start? any ideas to share… isn’t it scary to meet strangers especially now a days? thanks!

Great list Nora, thanks! A true Nomad myself, I am able to appreciate the value of the information provided. Many people will benefit from the resources provided when organizing their next adventure.

I’d like to add another valuable source if I may. Imagine you could Get Sponsored to Travel… wouldn’t that be amazing?! Now this is becoming reality for more and more travelers worldwide through a brand new global community for travelers called “StayNomad”. StayNomad.com connects sponsors with travelers, enabling members to realize their travel dreams cheaper or even for free. Happy Travels!

[…] 8 Tools to Help You Travel Forever and Live Rent Free: A fantastic article from the people at vagabondish.com that provides a great deal of information on excellent shelter, volunteer and work opportunities for people who are looking to travel. […]

Yeah ,I’ve been couchsurfing for a couple of years now and I have met amazing people.

It is something special these days that strangers are not fearful of each other and programs like this can exist and in fact thrive with the spirit of the wonderful people involved.

Of course, use your head, your common-sense but most of all, treat people respectfully and then you find that these are not just “cheap” or “free” ways to travel but that it is something even more special that you cannot put a price on.
To be invited into a home, break bread, friendship, fun, laughter and see what people are really like in the places we visit. Not just the barman or the concierge of the hotel. :)

DON’T SUBSCRIBE TO THE CARETAKER GAZETTE UNLESS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WESTERN U.S. ONLY, AND HAVE EXTENSIVE FARMING/OUTDOOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE EXPERIENCE, OR YOUR MONEY WILL HAVE BEEN WASTED. NO REFUNDS, READ THE “TERMS AND CONDITIONS” – SEE THE TEENY TINY LINK AT BOTTOM OF GAZETTE’S PAGE.

@Mary – I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience with the Caretaker Gazette.
I’m surprised at your comment though….I’ve successfully found opportunities in Hawaii, Australia, and made an excellent connection in Ecuador and Belize as well. What gives?

Your an inspiration, Nora. I’m 42, been happily married for 23 and have a 17 year old still at home but after reading your article I wanna sell everything I own and take my family globe trotting. My husband and I could use our skills to supplement income and it would probably be more educational for my teenage son than what he’s learning in school now.

Nice article. I used to love living like that. I hitched rides from London to Athens and back and had a wild time. I still think it was cheaper to fly though with food and all that … no better experience in the world though.

This is an amazing article. It could have been written yesterday. I just registered with the Caretaker’s Gazette and I spent all night pouring over listings!
I’ve also had my computer on for 3 days with this article open on my browser. Nora, you are a wealth of information and an inspiration to all backpackers out there. Thank you so much for your work and I look forward to reading your blog.

Thanks to all who have found this article useful! With a few more years of travel experience under my belt, I’ve discovered dozens of more ways to travel and live rent-free, and I maintain that full-time travel is actually cheaper than staying in one place long-term! Funny how that works….
And Thanks, Mica, for your very kind words. It means a lot.

Fantastic resource for wanderlust in all of us. Now that my wife and I have young children (2 & 4), those days are behind us to some extent. We hope to do more globetreking in a couple years. Thanks for putting this all together. Your professionalhobo.com blog is superb!

Oh my goodness. This has whetted the wanderlust appetite in me to a crazy degree. I did some Wwoofing in central America a few years ago and it was fantastic. I love the idea of teaching in Korea too. There is so much world to discover, I can’t wait to start travelling again. Thanks Nora!

Most of these things don’t work. People on these websites have either moved away and forgotten they put themselves on it, or just ignore requests for their “couch.” I guess these days no one trusts Internet or email correspondence anymore. There is some kind of assumption that anyone you meet over the internet is going to be some kind of pervert or serial killer or child molester or at the very least, a thief. There is general suspicion of anyone who doesn’t have enough money to stay at the Hyatt or the Ritz. I try these things all the time, I’m a TEACHER and all I see are demands of an additional background check as if they don’t believe I’m a teacher or that they don’t believe teachers have been background checked.

Good article! If you’re going to travel and you want to stay longer but you’re worrying your money will get shorter. There’s a way you can save money or decreased your bills by looking for a cheap room for rent. It is okay not to sleep in a hotel because hotel rooms are really expensive. You don’t have to worry about room for rents because they also provide a luxury at affordable prices.

Thanks for writing about the Caretaker’s Gazette. I just signed up with them and was accepted for a house sitting gig in Florida later this month. I never would have know about the Gazette had you not posted it here. Thanks again!
Jim

This is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life, I’ve always had a dream of traveling the world since I was 10 maybe. I’ve since have gotten married and have two boys 7 years and 2 years. Any suggestions for you veteran world travelers? We live paycheck to paycheck and we live in America, which is NOT the land of freedom. I need to get out, I NEED to get my family out. Is this possible with young children? I already homeschool them, so education will not be an issue. Has anyone else traveled like this with children? I feel the experience would greatly benefit them.

I am currently getting ready to move abroad and am hoping to do as much traveling as possible once I am settled. Your resources I feel will come in handy greatly! I had never realized there were such wonderful opportunities available to me. thank you so much for sharing and opening my eyes!

i am 54 years old i have been a out of work consruction forman for 3 years my ex told me to get out or find a job . 3 years trying should tell you somthing .anyway im on my way out of the house thats in her name . she says go . were do i go from here i heard of travelers aid . i think i can be of some help. i can fix just about anything send an email let me know what you think thank you hope is all i have. bill bell?

There are some good options on this list. I’ve used a few of them and now i know about Care Takers. Awesome idea.
I would say another option is heading to Expat bars and in many countries you’ll be able to easily find volenteer or paid work teaching English once you’re in a country. If you’re looking for work as an english teacher Dave’s ESL Cafe is a great place to look and finding work in places like China is as easy as an email! (no experience or degree really needed) Teaching is an excellent way to extend your trips.
Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed it!

There are some good options on this list. I’ve used a few of them and now i know about Care Takers. Awesome idea.
I would say another option is heading to Expat bars and in many countries you’ll be able to easily find volenteer or paid work teaching English once you’re in a country. If you’re looking for work as an english teacher Dave’s ESL Cafe is a great place to look and finding work in places like China is as easy as an email! (no experience or degree really needed) Teaching is an excellent way to extend your trips.
Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed it!

Great list! I haven’t heard of most of these opportunities, but we will definitely check them out! Like Dariece said, Dave’s is a great site to find work, especially in China! We’ve also found opportunities teaching novice monks English in Laos. Sometimes they offer free accommodation. If they don’t, it’s still a good way to enrich your travel experience!

Hi there, I’m a 19 year old high school graduate, I know quite alot about life and spirituality at the moment as I feel I’m an old soul underneath, so here is my dilemma, I know for sure with out a doubt I don’t want a mundane 9-5 job 5 days a week, I want to be free and travel and spread love to all as life is about freedom and love I believe,, now I know I could just pick up my pack and go and that is under consideration for me currently. I really want to make a positive impact on the world and enjoy the freedom of life with that…
Thank you very much!
Kind regards,
Dylan major

Great list. I’ve used Couchsurfing and a friend of mine used Workaway (his experience is here: http://www.femmebionic.com/?p=9) with great success. When I went to Eastern Europe, I met a guy from Lithuania who just decided to call a bunch of hostels and see if he could live there in exchange for work. He landed in a hostel in Tbilisi, Georgia, for about 3 months, so maybe that’s another option…

i am separated/2children part of the time/am a care provider and a personal trainer/live in morongo valley ca./love the Lord/need a free place to live in morongo valley in exchange for care/cleaning/errands/proofreading/etc.tell me your needs

Hi Nora, Awesome Resources on this Blog! I just got back from traveling to Costa Rica and have decided to try this type of lifestyle as I can work from my laptop. I just want to be sure about Visa, laws and things to look out for before hand.

great article. but it could have gone without the picture of the middle eastern women with the sad white man — especially since it was placed after the warning to travel and stay with caution. really? very poor decision.

Hi Nora, Awesome Resources on this Blog! I just got back from traveling to Crostia and have decided to try this type of lifestyle as I can work from my laptop. I just want to be sure about Visa, laws and things to look out for before hand.

I’ve edited a list resources for finding seasonal jobs which I previously posted on Escape Normal- these have helped me get nearly every seasonal job I’ve had. It’s not exactly rent-free, but the jobs provide housing which is deducted from your wage. So you don’t need to worry about finding your own place to live, and food is often included as well. If you’re willing to work while you travel, it’s a really excellent way to see the world on a small budget.